Of wicked witches and diapers
by Smash-Photographer
Summary: The night of the Tony's was a night that changed Derek's life forever. Not only was he finally ready to admit he loved the woman who always stood by him. That same woman had a surprise for him as well. How will things continue now?
1. Chapter 1

Derek woke up with a start, his surroundings different than they had been when waking up the past 3 weeks. He looked straight at the dressing table and saw 2 Tony awards side by side. "Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical" and "Best Choreography", quite a good night for him and the woman who was still peacefully asleep next to him. And that wasn't even the big event of the evening. His hand went to her belly, his mind still trying to grasp the fact that inside there, a tiny little him was growing and growing. Never, not in in a million years, did he ever expect to become a father. What did you want with a father like his as an example? But when he heard Ivy say it last night, her voice so insecure and scared for his reaction, all he could think of at that moment was to comfort her, to comfort the mother of his unborn child.

It was probably the most uncharacteristic thing of him to do. But so was falling in love with that same mother and he had. Oh, he had tried to deny it, tried to run from it. But in the end, the way she was so determined, her never faltering eye for detail which he could genuinely appreciate, her love for a business that had been so hard on her just because she loved theatre not because she wanted to be famous, … It all made him feel attracted to her in a way that he hadn't felt in a long time.

Her eyes opened and she looked up at him, as if she herself couldn't quite believe how the night had turned out as well. He guessed she just knew him too well for that. The look of disbelief changed into a small smile when she noticed his hand.

"You really want to do this?"

"I guess I do. Though I can't say that I'm not worried about all of it."

Ivy straightened her pillow and leaned against it. Playing with her hands.

"You don't think "we" are going to last do you?"

He got on his knees in front of her and played with her hair the way he once did on an audition that seemed now like an eternity ago.

"Ivy Lynn, didn't I dedicate that award over there to you last night? Didn't I tell the entire theatre world that I love you last night? Didn't I tell the entire world? I'm not worried about us, I think if we both learn from our mistakes in the past and stop running we can actually be pretty great."

His lips lowered on hers, capturing them in a soft kiss, trying to add strength to his words.

"Than what's worrying you?"

"Well I don't know if you remember but a little over 3 weeks ago my name reached the head titles in what's probably the biggest scandal in theatre-world of this decade. Directing and choreography is all I've ever known, and all I can do. It's not the prettiest economy out there and here I am becoming a father."

He lowered his head and started leaning against her while she wrapped her arms around him.

"You asked me why I did it yesterday? It was all for you. I can bluff against every single man or woman who I come across. The whole theatre world despises me, you wouldn't believe what people say to my face! But when you told me… When you told me I could never change, that I never did the right thing… It was actually "nice" compared to what others said and yet it hit me so hard. I couldn't sleep that night or any other night that followed. All I could think of was, I need to get this right."

Ivy was in stunned silence, listening to his confession so she just let him continue, without interrupting him.

"But now… I'm not so sure anymore if it was the right thing. Our child certainly won't benefit from it."

Ivy stared down at him. "The right thing would've been not to sleep with Daisy Parker at all."

"Yeah, I know… I can do stupid things from time to time. You better get used to it, you'll be having two of us within the year."

"I hope for your sake that you will stop doing stupid things like THAT."

Derek went to sit straight again and this time, he took her in his arms.

"Ivy, I decided to make things right… for you. And I'll go all the way. I know it will take time for you to trust me. But believe me… I am determined to prove myself to you. And to our child."

Before Ivy could respond to that their moment was interrupted by someone who was desperately trying to get in.

"Ugh… Want to make a bet? 10 bucks, it's my mother."

Derek put his black pants and shirt back on and smiled.

"Ivy darling! I called your agent… she says that you aren't answering your phone! You already have 4 offers, darling, they're fighting over you!"

Leigh walked into the apartment, and spotted Derek.

"Seems like someone is still on his way home."

"As far as I'm concerned he is home, mom." Ivy responded, starting to make some coffee in the kitchen.

"Love, I think tea would be better suited don't you think?" Derek said to his pregnant girlfriend.

"Oh you Brits and your tea! It's such a cliché. I once knew this director who had his tea every 2 hours. Of course he was a far bigger gentleman if you understand my drift."

Derek couldn't believe his luck, two minutes in and already troubles with the mother. Of course, it was what he could've expected.

"Mom!" Ivy scolded, coming in with a cup of coffee for Leigh and a cup of tea for Derek. She went back to get her a glass of orange juice which earned her an approving look from Derek.

"I'm just saying… Four offers! Aida, Oliver, Wicked and legally blonde! And it's only 10 o'clock. The world's at your feet!"

"Seriously? Aida? Me?"

"Yes, everyone wants you! You don't want them to have the impression you get where you are because you slept with the director."

Derek rolled his eyes, this conversation was starting way earlier than he had anticipated. Yes, he had expected it to happen. But not after he just got out of bed, still trying to ravel his mind about what happened. And then THAT conversation still had to happen! As soon as that thought flew through his mind he already regretted thinking it. Leigh's eyes had fallen on Ivy's vitamins.

"Oh my God! Ivy! No!"


	2. Chapter 2

Ivy at first, didn't understand what her mother was talking about.

"Mom, I'm in my thirties! I think I can make a mind of my own about who I date or not."

Her mother grabbed the vitamins of the table and showed them to her.

"Are you Ivy?"

At first, Derek saw a glance of shock appear on Ivy's face but she soon seemed to recover and then that look appeared on her face. THAT look! Derek had only seen it a few times but it was that look that meant 'DUCK!'. However, instead of yelling at her mother like he was used to from the several times she yelled at him she straightened her back and answered stoically calm.

"I'm not sixteen mother, I'm in my thirties. This is my life, my career and my affairs. I may be your daughter, I may have inherited your love for all of this, but I'm going to do this my way. You've been one hell of a support mother these last few months and I can't thank you enough for that. But if I have to find out, right here, right now, that you only supported me because I was finally doing things the way you always dreamed I would do them, then mother… there's a door!"

Leigh looked as if she didn't know what to say and Derek started to feel like he should say something although he didn't really know what actually…

"Ivy? Darling?"

"You're going to be a grandmother, this is your grandchild we're talking about. Yes! It's true! I'm not going to deny it. I'm in my thirties and I'm having a relationship and I'm having a baby… still you react as if the world is about to end. Is that then how you felt when you had me?"

"Ivy, no… I'm just worried. That's all."

And that, right there, was Derek's cue.

"Leigh…"

She looked up at him as if she suddenly realized he was still standing there.

"I know I may not be the biggest reference when it comes to being relationship material for someone's daughter. But I can reassure you, I love your daughter very much, when I came onto that stage last night… I still didn't know about the child myself. What I said up there, was out of commitment to your daughter, and your daughter alone. I'm not going to abandon her and I'm most certainly not going to abandon 'our' child."

"That may all be very well true Derek, though we still have to see about that. I'm worried about my daughter's dreams. Because, darling, you know they're not my dreams. They're your dreams. Ever since you were a little girl. And as a mother and because I actually quite liked the direction your dreams were going, they became my dreams as well. It's why I've been pushing you all these years to be so good. One day, an actress is going to be the new Leigh Conroy of her generation. It might as well be you. All I want is for my little girl's dreams to come true. Not just for one show, not just for one award evening, but for many years still to come. You know this business Derek… You know how this won't be easy."

"I understand… but I've had a choice in this, and I choose this. It's what's making me happy. Broadway has seen what I can do. What I can achieve. I'll see if I can go see my agent today and we'll figure this all out. But right now… can you please just be happy for me?"

Ivy looked at her mother, not in a pleading way, more of a commanding way. Derek assumed that the person who was most hopeless in catching a hint, in the entire world, would now understand that Ivy was giving her mother a choice, not a request.

"This is going to explode, you know that right?" Leigh said to her daughter.

"Tony award winner pregnant from persona non grata in the theatre world, Derek Wills. I know that mother. The press will have a field day on this one."

A smile appeared on Leigh's face as she hugged her daughter. "You're going to be fine on this one. I'll help you with that." She hugged her daughter and Derek did his best not to laugh at the look of complete terror on Ivy's face. Her mother would help her. Now, that would be interesting. He was so caught up in the scene he didn't knew what hit him when Leigh turned around, slapped him in the face and then gave him a small hug as well.

"You take care of my little darling here. Because I guarantee you, you think you're in trouble now when it comes to Broadway, just wait till I'm done with you if I ever see you mistreat my daughter!"

Both Ivy and Derek kept their faces in a perfectly innocent way. If only she knew…

It took more than an hour before Leigh was ready to be on her way, which was only due to the fact that Ivy had called and was expected at her agent, an hour later.

"He's going to be pissed."

"Trust me love, pissed is when your agent has to find out through her tweet-updates that you've released a negative press announcement with the most loathsome reporter in town… and she didn't know about it."

Ivy just laughed, "That would make anyone pissed. Did you make it up yet?"

"She won't answer her bloody phone."

Ivy made a deal with Derek that he would sort his mess up with his agent first, before they went out together, each in different directions. As soon as she left, she suddenly noticed a man with a camera on the other side of the street, continuously taking pictures. Oh no, would that start now too. She suddenly realized that he most definitely had her goodbye-kiss with Derek outside her apartment on camera as well. Great, just one other thing she had to explain then to her agent.

At her agency, she didn't have to wait her agent was practically storming out of his office.

"This is a first", she thought as she followed him into his office.

"I've bought champagne, the best in town!" He said and immediately started pouring glasses.

"Euhm… about the whole champagne thing… There's a small detail I need to tell you. I might be unavailable to start in an entire new production for the next 6 to 7 months."

He looked at her in a confused way.

"Ivy, my phone's burning hot from all the calls I've been getting for you this morning. Why would you say that?"

"I'm kind of pregnant."

Again, the disappointed look appeared. Could nobody be excited just for once? Every soon-to-be mother in the country would receive congratulations and "I'm so happy for you!", but not her… ooh no.

"Well euhm… talking about bad timing."

"Well, we can't plan these things sometimes."

"When are you due?"

"Around December."

A smile crept on Jonathan's face as he started planning. "This can actually go fine without any damage to your career. If you'd say you'd only have the baby in January or February even we might be in bigger trouble. You'll finish your contract at bombshell which will fill you up for the next 2 months and then we'll be planning a one-woman show surrounding you, just to show what you can do besides Marilyn. No big dance scenes, no 8 shows a week, no difficult rehearsals or workshops… We'll do it off broadway if we can't find a theatre. After all, people will still remember your name by then so they'll come. After that you can take a break. Sit your pregnancy out and relax while I'll arrange some auditions for a revival that will start around February or march. Does that plan suit you."

"I guess so." Ivy said. Inside her mind a tiny little Ivy was doing flip-flops. They could actually pull it off.

The meeting continued without any other major issues and before long Ivy was back on the street. The world suddenly seemed remarkably bright actually and she almost felt as if her whole life was one sappy, pink musical itself. Of course, deep down she knew it wasn't exactly so yet… But right now she didn't care about all of that. She grabbed her phone and send Derek a text.

"_Only free evening in a long way time again. Want to grab dinner?"_

"_Take-out Chinese with slippers and a movie?"_

"_Haven't you had enough Chinese?"_

"_Not really, if I'm the one suggesting it."_

"_In that case, sounds like heaven!"_


	3. Chapter 3

When she finally arrived home, Derek was already sitting on the front porch, waiting for her.

"You seem a lot worse than when I last saw you this morning."

"Thanks love, side-effect of having a bloody bad day. I'm starting to think, I should've stayed in my apartment."

Ivy motioned for him to get up and opened the door. It was best to talk about this inside. Derek settled on the bed and remained silent while Ivy dropped her bag, undid her scarf and took off her jacket.

She finally settled on the end of the bed and looked at him. She figured if he wanted to talk about it, he would. He was the last person she should ask about feelings knowing that he would only close himself off if she did it at a moment when he wasn't ready yet.

"Did you check the online newspapers this afternoon yet?" Derek asked.

She hadn't… She was too afraid of what she might find there after the picture that had been taken that morning, so she had decided against it. She didn't need the press speculating things about them, she knew they would only be sensational and farfetched, if not hurting, all because they wanted to sell newspapers.

"As of today, Hit List no longer stars Jimi Collins. Apparently he has turned himself in last night over some stupid mistake he did years ago. He risks 6 to 18 months of jail. And our lovely leading lady Karen Cartwright only started defending him when I called her this afternoon for more information… As if I hadn't had enough to deal with today as it is…"

He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall.

"My agent gallantly ditched me when I walked into her office… She said that I had a great win but that the response to them made it all too clear that my days on Broadway are over. I'm finished Ivy. Finished."

His head dropped down in defeat and Ivy went to sit next to him, her arms around him.

"You're not finished because some fancy agent who is too cowardice to take risks with clients says you're finished. You won a Tony last night on an evening where you had three nominations on your name alone, there's nobody in theatre who will deny your talent. Take a new agent, put on a brave face, get out there… It won't be long till someone wants to hire your talent."

Derek gave her a small kiss and smiled at her, "I'm so sorry, for everything I ever did that hurt you. You truly are an amazing woman. I meant it Ivy… I love you!"

"I love you too… I always have actually, it just took me a really, really long time to fully realize it."

They kissed and Derek smiled as they parted,

"As I recall, there was Chinese food on the menu… And I'm absolutely starving!"

Ivy grabbed her bag and with it her cell phone. "I'll order. What would you like?"

"I think I'll have crispy prawns in szechuan sauce and baked rice."

Ivy grabbed her phone and couldn't believe her eyes, she had literally 16 text messages and 5 missed calls, all devided between Jessica, Bobby and Sam. Jessica and Bobby were just being curious. Wondering if she was doing the nasty with the dark lord again. Sam on the other hand was worried, he hadn't heard from her all day and wanted to know if she had already told Derek, what his reaction was and what she was going to do next.

_Told him. He reacted splendidly and wants to be involved completely. Back together. Gonna try to make it work with the 3 of us._

Ivy texted, knowing Sam deserved an answer, the other two could wait. As she did so, she explained to Derek that Sam already knew about the pregnancy and that she had updated him which was just fine for him. She called the Chinese restaurant and laid down her phone which immediately started ringing again… It was Bobby.

"Bobby, you made it clear okay? I'll explain everyth…"

"You're pregnant?"

Ivy couldn't believe the word was out yet, she wanted to tell things on her own terms. Derek had looked up, Bobby had yelled it so loud that he could fully understand him as well.

"What?"

How did he know? Ivy started panicking, wondering how the news got out.

"You just texted me honey."

Oh no… Oh no, no, nooo… She did not tell the one bit of news she wasn't completely ready to share yet to the biggest gossip of New York by mistake. Maybe it wasn't too late for damage control.

"No, I didn't."

"Than what do you mean with "involved" or "the 3 of us"?"

"Involved in a relationship Bobby. And 2 and 3 aren't so far from each other, it's just an innocent typo."

She heard a sigh on the other end of the line and knew Bobby had bought it.

"For a second there I was in a complete panick attack… Imagine it all… It would be the laughing stock of the theatre world as if Derek wasn't already."

"Yeah thanks Bobby." Ivy responded a bit more angry than she had meant to. "I have to go now, bye."

She said her goodbye's and looked at Derek who had a worried look on his face.

"Everything okay?"

"I'm fine."

"We'll have to tell people some day you know."

Ivy knew that, but she first wanted everything to be completely settled before she went on to make her next move. Derek suddenly assured her that there was another evening to talk about that, tonight was Chinese food and snuggle time which was actually a far more perfect idea than it had seemed at the moment, because a few blocks away, Ivy's friends, still didn't believe a word of it.


End file.
